SSEN Transmission has published its final report on the consultation process for the proposed 400kV overhead electricity transmission line in Scotland, which will connect Kintore in Aberdeenshire to Tealing in Angus. The need for the new line has been confirmed by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the energy regulator, Ofgem.
The report outlines the final alignment for the overhead line, which will be submitted for Section 37 Consent. It also details changes made in response to feedback from communities and stakeholders. This new transmission line is part of SSEN Transmission's broader effort to modernize the transmission network in northern Scotland, supporting the £20bn Pathway to 2030 investment programme. The initiative aims to enhance the delivery of high-voltage, renewable energy to homes and businesses across the UK, bolstering Scotland's and the UK's energy security.
Since May 2023, SSEN Transmission has conducted three rounds of public consultation, hosting a total of 29 in-person events. The final report provides a comprehensive summary of the feedback received, explaining how it has been incorporated into the project's design.
Significant adjustments have been made based on consultations, including the relocation of a substation initially planned for Fiddes in the Mearns to a new site at Hurlie in Fetteresso Forest. Additionally, routes for two sections of the line, between Forfar and Brechin, and between the River Dee and Kintore, were altered after the first round of consultations.
Further refinements were made following subsequent consultations, including new alignments around Drumoak and Echt in Aberdeenshire, as well as alterations around Schoolhill and Careston in Angus. SSEN Transmission emphasized that these changes were designed to minimize the impact on local communities and the environment.
Calum Grant, Senior Development Project Manager at SSEN Transmission, commented on the extensive public engagement process: “We have carried out what we believe to be one of the biggest public consultation exercises with local communities and other stakeholders, throughout the development of this project, that this area has ever seen.”
Grant added: “Upgrading the electricity transmission network in the north of Scotland is critical if we are to deliver the country's energy security and clean power goals, and the work to do that presents a major boost for jobs and economic growth locally and across the north of Scotland.
SSEN Transmission will host further public engagement events in February and March 2025 to present the final alignment plans and discuss the developments with local communities.
